Instagram remains one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users.
For businesses and influencers, determining the best time to post on Instagram is crucial for reaching the largest audience and driving engagement. While no definitive “best” time works for everyone, research shows that posting at strategic times can maximize visibility.
Best Time To Post On Instagram
When is the best time to post on Instagram in 2023? The answer depends on your audience and goals. However, analyzing your Instagram insights provides valuable data on when your followers are most active. Industry research on usage patterns also reveals broader trends to inform your strategy.
Overall, the best times to post on Instagram are:
- Mornings between 7-9 am – Catch people scrolling during breakfast or commutes.
- Early Afternoons, 11 am-1 pm – Post around lunch breaks on weekdays.
- Evenings, 5-6 pm – Connect with users after work before dinnertime.
- Thursdays and Fridays – Increased activity toward the end of the workweek.
However, optimal timing also depends on your audience’s habits, which may correlate to their age, location, interests, and work schedules.
The key is testing different times and using Instagram analytics to determine when your particular followers are most engaged.
Why Posting Time Matters
Posting at strategic times is crucial for increasing reach and engagement on Instagram for several reasons:
- The Instagram Feed Algorithm – When users are more active, the algorithm pushes your content higher in feeds. Posting when fewer people are online means fewer impressions.
- Higher Engagement Rates – Users like, comment on, and share posts more during Instagram’s peak times. This signals to the algorithm that your content resonates.
- Avoid Oversaturation – Posting when fewer people are active means less competition in feeds for attention.
- Real-Time Interaction – If you want to chat with followers or create Instagram Stories, higher traffic periods mean more eyes on your content and responses.
Analyzing Your Instagram Insights
The best way to determine when your followers are most active is by utilizing Instagram Insights. Here’s how to find your optimal posting times:
- Check Insights > Audience > Followers. This shows your followers’ top hours and days for usage over the past 7 days.
- Look at the Content Hours and Impressions graphs. See when people viewed your posts most over the past 14 days.
- Compare top times across these graphs and notice any overlap. These are likely your ideal posting times.
- Also, consider times with lower impressions. These indicate windows when fewer users are active, meaning less competition.
- Test posting consistently at your top times for a few weeks. Keep watch on engagement and impressions to see what works best.
Additional Tips for Posting
Beyond timing, a few additional best practices can boost your Instagram success:
- Post Consistently – Posting daily or a few times a week helps the algorithm surface your content. Use automation tools to schedule posts.
- Optimize Hashtags – Use a mix of popular and niche hashtags so your posts are discoverable but not oversaturated.
- Leverage Trending Content – When creating posts or Stories, consider tying in trending sounds, challenges, holidays, etc.
- Post Your Best Content – Great visuals and copy entice engagement. Use high-quality images edited for Instagram’s dimensions.
- Interact with Followers – Reply to comments, do Q&As in Stories and engage with users to build community.
- Analyze What Works – Check Instagram Insights to see your top-performing content. Do more of what resonates with your audience.
Final Thoughts
Determining the best times to post on Instagram requires checking your Insights, analyzing your audience’s habits, and testing different timing strategies.
While peak times exist, your followers’ patterns dictate your optimal schedule. Remaining flexible, tracking performance metrics, and refining based on what works will help maximize your reach and engagement. With smart timing and compelling content, you can achieve Instagram success in 2023.
